Begging Adventure
by Darkwulfe
Summary: A group of friends explore their world seeking adventure with no real idea of the dangers they face. please r&r, be gentle its my first fic
1. convincing

They were an odd group of friends. Ranging in ages from 5 to 200, they had grown up together in a small village near the towns of Loudwater and Llorkh...  
  
Having lived their entire lives in this village, they all craved that elusive creature known as adventure. Fortunately for them, the world they lived in would provide in abundance what they sought.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chpt 1  
  
Midway was a small stopover village that provided food, lodging and some small entertainment to the ore caravans that came from the mines in Llorkh, which lay directly to the east, on their way to Loudwater, which lay to the west. Small and close, the community was made up mainly of elves and humans, all of whom had a forced peace after living in such close proximity to one another. The most exciting thing the village could boast of was a small inn, and a whore house that lay on the outskirts to the east and was frequented by nearly every caravan that came through. To the north near the village center was Liandis the cleric's small hut, where all in Midway went to get their hurts cured, Liandis was a wiry thin man with graying brown hair, sharp chiseled cheekbones and soft blue eyes, As a follower of Mielikki, the goddess of nature he was always seen in his green robes walking around town and in the outlaying forest. He inspired trust and respect from most people who met him. Next to the cleric to the west was Joander the blacksmith, a huge mountain of a man who had, it was rumored, been in a great battle with a horde of kobalds and lived to tell the tale. Joric's inn lay to the south across the street from the cleric, Joric was a fat dour man who had lost his family many years ago to a pack of wolves, he had never recovered since that day and had kept to himself ever since. Several small market stalls dotted the sides of the road. And to the east was the whore house, owned by the madam Yalendria, a half elf who had moved to midway nearly fifty years ago to ply her trade.  
  
Kipsie Theifcatcher strolled slowly down the main square in her boringly normal village waiting for something, anything, to happen. So far today had been the same as any other day and tomorrow looked to follow the same tired old pattern. She had been up since dawn, having left the house early to avoid her mother, who, while married again, still pined after her elven husband who had been killed many years ago by a rogue orc that was eventually caught and put down. Kipsie missed her father, but couldn't bring herself to stop herself from living life because he was gone. It surely didn't help that she looked like him, with dark brown hair and pale skin, her green eyes glinting brightly even in the dark, she was the spitting image of her father.  
  
Kipsie shrugged and continued looking around, waving occasionally to the few people she passed, and noting with little interest the ore caravan that was camped to the south east near miss Yalendria's house. As she passed the clerics hut, kipsie fingered the new knife her step father had given her recently, it was not as fancy as some of the jeweled confections that the blacksmith sold, but it was still a beauty, made of silver and doubly precious as it was a gift from her normally distant and uninterested step parent.  
  
A shout had her tucking her dagger away and looking toward the sound. The sight that greeted her eyes was a welcome one, for there, in the middle of the road leading to Llorkh, was someone she hadn't seen in three months, but had thought of often with envy and longing. Jaelara Dilathon, looking the same happy excited young elf she had three months ago when she had gone to visit relatives ran up and wrapped her arms around her best friend in a rib shattering hug, her black hair flowing around her shoulders, occasionally allowing her sharply pointed ears to peek through. Glinting green eyes shone in her pale face as she grinned ear to pointed ear at the sight of her friend. Her oversized dark green tunic was held up by a leather bustier and a leather loincloth hung from her slender hips to cover her green trousers. Leather elbow length gloves encased her small hands and matching leather boots encased her tiny feet. Her backpack bulged with travel goods and the weapons that hung from her belt consisted of a small punching dagger and a light crossbow.  
  
Jaelara took a moment to eye her friend critically, noting the brown tunic and trousers that fit the slender frame perfectly, and the leather boots that looked new before she rushed into speech, causing kipsie to grin in anticipation at the wild tales that would fly out of her friend's small mouth.  
  
"Gods kip, you should have been there! There were so many of my family and friends at the gathering! They were sooo lovely! All silver and bright in the sun as they glided into the clearing near waterdeep! You would have been hard pressed to keep your jaw out of the dirt! I know I dropped mine at least a dozen... no a hundred dozen times when the great wyrms showed up…" jaelara rattled on and on as they walked toward the well that stood in the center of the road in the middle of the village. Kipsie reflected that maybe she should have been born a silver dragon, since her friend went on such great adventures and could shape shift into virtually anything, even the shape she wore now as an elf. It was common knowledge that silver dragons were very fond of humans, spending hundreds of years among them to observe and enjoy their habits. Jaelara herself had been left with a human family five years ago as a hatchling so that her parents could enjoy their explorations without the burden of a child, which seemed kind of coldhearted to kipsie, but never seemed to disturb jaelara in the least, especially now that they came occasionally to take the young dragon to gatherings that were held every so often to share stories and catch up.  
  
At the well, jaelara grabbed the dipper that was left there to drink out of and filled it to the brim so she could guzzle the clear liquid thirstily, barely getting it down before continuing her tale. Kipsie smiled and motioned her friend to walk with her toward their friend Mir's house, which was situated to the east of the inn. Kipsie knew that Mir would be engrossed in his studies of magic; he rarely saw the light of day, much to his mother's disapproval. He would, however, be happy to see their friend returned from her trip, and would undoubtedly grill her, to Jaelara's delight, about the magical goings on at the gathering.  
  
As they walked, Kipsie began to think. Looking around at the same boring inn, the same boring people, she began to get an idea that she knew would gain approval from at least one of her friends, since jaelara was always up for an adventure no matter how small. Nothing to dangerous, kipsie thought, just a little jaunt to Llorkh or Loudwater, maybe, if things looked good after that, they could go to waterdeep and go sailing on the ocean. After all, waterdeep wasn't that far from midway was it? The world couldn't be that big since their village was fair sized. Kipsie strove to think up viable reasons to go adventuring so that the others wouldn't gainsay her.  
  
Finally they stepped up to the small house where Mir made his home with his mother. Jaelara was bouncing with excitement. Kipsie knocked and waited, putting on her best "I'm responsible" look on her face, as she knew that Mir's mother would be the one to answer the door and the poor woman had a severe case of over protectiveness. As they waited, kipsie turned to her companion, "Jaelara, what say you to another adventure? I have an itch to visit Loudwater or something and it would be fun to get everybody together and see what we can see." Kipsie put on her casual I don't care face and waited for jaelara to start making Kipsie's case for her. Sure enough, the excited dragon began making plans and explaining why it was a good idea, rushing her words so fast that kipsie figured wryly that if Mir and the others refused that she could sic jaelara on them and have her annoy them into going.  
  
The sudden opening of the wooden door silenced both girls as Mir's mother peered out and spied them, "Why Kipsie and Jaelara! What are you doing here? Have you come to take Mir out? He really should get more sun, the boy'll waste away, and with no thought to his poor mother!" Mir's mother turned away after waving them in. Bustling into the kitchen, the worried woman kept talking, only taking breath to yell to the back where Mir slept that his friends were here.  
  
A moment later a thin young man with long black hair, hard brown eyes and a pale face emerged wearing black trousers, a long black tunic, and a black short cloak strapped across his shoulders. He carried a backpack that bulged with what were obviously books and scroll cases. Strapped to his hip was a dagger, and hanging from his backpack was a crossbow. Around his narrow waist was a belt attached to which was a pouch that clanked lightly.  
  
Kipsie reflected that he looked annoyed but prepared for a journey, so she ventured to ask, keeping her voice down, "Where ya goin Mir? You're all packed up." Kipsie cocked an eyebrow. Mir grimaced and motioned for them to follow him outside to the back yard. Once there he turned to them and asked with obvious annoyance, "So where are we going this time ladies? You never come over here together with jaelara chattering up a storm unless you want an "adventure", and since I know that you will both bother me during my studies until I agree to go, I just thought I would save you the trouble and me the headache. So where are we going? And why?" Mir settled himself against a tree and waited for an answer, looking bored.  
  
Kipsie grinned, Mir was always surprising her, but at least this time their journey wouldn't be delayed by his arguments. Jaelara launched into an excited account of their plans liberally mixed in with an account of her trip, causing Mir to smile slightly at kipsie as her grin widened with amusement.  
  
Kipsie waited for a moment for jaelara to wind down a bit before explaining her idea. Mir listened with a pensive frown before asking,  
  
"Why Loudwater, why not go to the mines in Llorkh? There would probably be more treasure to be found in the mountains that in a town like Loudwater."  
  
Kipsie looked at him for a moment before answering.  
  
"Well, you always said before that the mines were dangerous, so I figured that we could just go to Loudwater and explore the markets."  
  
Kipsie paused for a moment before continuing,  
  
"After we get done there we could go to waterdeep and go sailing…" she trailed off at the furious frown that Mir leveled in her direction.  
  
"Waterdeep is three or four days away kipsie! I can't be away from my studies that long! You know I have to practice or I can't get any better!" Mir scowled fiercely. Mir was a student of necromantic magic, a path usually frowned upon by most, but fascinating to Mir. No one but their circle of friends and Mir's mother knew what he was and they all strived to keep it that way.  
  
Before kipsie could reply, jaelara piped in,  
  
"But Mir, don't they have a wonderful library in waterdeep? Yes, I'm sure they must, after all it is a huge, gargantuan city! You could go study or copy the texts there while kip and I go sailing!" The small dragon beamed with approval as she looked at Mir expectantly.  
  
Mir frowned a bit more, but kipsie knew the battle was won. 


	2. ready to go

A few hours later they stood in front of the inn ready to go. Each had procured travel supplies and permission from their parents to go. Now they were dickering on how to get there. Mir wanted to walk, kipsie wanted to ride in the caravan. Jaelara was up for anything that was decided. "Look, we don't know that these caravans will allow us to travel along without charging an arm and a leg as fare. We should just walk, besides, as slow as those things go we would make the same if not worse time as we would walking." Mir crossed his arms in front of his narrow chest and regarded kipsie sternly. Kipsie growled, "We might be charged, but look at it this way, if we go with the caravan there will be around nine guards to protect us. So what if we could make better time? What else do you have to do?" kipsie glared at Mir, who looked ready to kill. Mir's eyes widened, "what else.kip my studies will already suffer because of this blasted trip! We need to get this over with so that I can practice" Mir growled out. Kipsie snapped her fingers, "how about we flip a copper, heads we go with the caravan, tails we go by foot?" she grinned widely at Mir, who shook his head and sighed his agreement. Kipsie took out her copper and flipped it, catching it in mid air and slapping it onto the back of her hand before looking to see what side was up. "Heads!" she crowed, beaming her triumph as Mir scowled. Jaelara laughed and slapped him on the back. "Look at it this way Mir, at least you can study while we ride!" the small dragon said. Mir just frowned and looked at the coin kipsie stowed away in her belt pouch. "Very well. We had better move then because they look like they are getting ready to move out." He pointed to the caravan, where the drivers were busily loading their belongings and checking their horses. Kipsie skipped toward them followed by her companions. Once there, she approached the leader of the caravan, a greasy looking fellow with dirty blond hair and a worn tunic and trousers that had seen better days. His gray eyes narrowed speculatively at the approaching young people as they drew near. Kipsie, a natural leader, rushed into speech, "Excuse me sir, would it be possible for us to ride with your caravan to Loudwater?" her voice was respectful. The leader's eyes appraised the three before he said. "No kids comin on my caravan, worse than useless ye are. Got no room for babbies. An I'm no allowin any damned elves free passage!" He turned away. Jaelara frowned and stepped up. "But sir, we would be ever so useful; we could help protect the caravan! Or we could cook." she took a half step back as the man swung around to glare at her, "I said, ain't got no use for kids, nor elves. Ye won't be able to protect yerselves much less a caravan. So get ye gone!" jaelara winced at the harsh tone the man took and backed away, kipsie followed her. Mir stood to one side considering the man, then stepped up as well. "Good sir, would it be possible to purchase space in a wagon?" Mir waited his angular face impassive. The leader glared at the boy before snorting. "If ye kids got a gold a piece, I might be persuaded to allow ye passage. Tho how a bunch o kids would come by gold I don't know." Kipsie stared, a gold from each of them?! How, by the gods did the man stay in business if he charged that much? Mir was not phased, he dug around in his pouch and withdrew a gold, saying sadly, "I have a gold, it was meant to last me the whole trip. But I would prefer the safety of the caravan, so." he handed the gold over to the leader, and then looked at jaelara and kipsie expectantly. Kipsie was not amused, but played along, "Aye, here is my gold as well. My ma will skin me if she finds out I spent it like this but we need the protection." She handed her gold over. Jaelara frowned, she hated giving up gold, but the others were going via caravan and she had no desire to walk alone, so she too handed a gold over. The caravan leader's eyes gleamed; he took each coin and bit it, rubbing the two from the girls on his filthy trousers before testing it. "Aye, I suppose that'll do. Damned elves." he turned away, waving them toward the first wagon that stood ready to go. "Ye'll ride in the front wagon, keep to yerselves and ye'll not get into trouble." With that he turned and walked away from the trio, grumbling. Kipsie sighed, and followed the others to the wagon. Once there she settled on the narrow seat and waited.  
  
The day passed slowly, they made good time considering that all of the wagons carried heavy iron ore. Kipsie was daydreaming, jaelara was dozing at her side and Mir studied his books. By the time the caravan finally stopped, it was nearly dark. Mir rolled his bedroll out under a wagon while kipsie and Jaelara set up Jaelara's tent. Kipsie yawned and grimaced as her stomach growled. Jaelara smiled and motioned Mir to come over. "What?" he asked. Jaelara smiled again and said, "Kip is hungry and so am I, think those guys would be willing to share the food?" Mir frowned and looked to where the drivers were setting up a large communal cook pot and were filling it with a savory stew made of the rabbit bagged earlier that day. "Maybe, I'll go ask." He stood and walked over to the man stirring the contents of the pot. Thin and dirty, the caravan driver was remarkably similar to the leader they had bargained passage with, his blond hair a lighter shade that the other man's, his green eyes surveyed Mir suspiciously. Mir stepped up to him and paused for a moment before asking for food. The thin man smiled coldly, eyeing the girls before replying, "Aye, three silver a bowl." Mir stiffened and turned to look at his companions before turning and replying, "But sir, no one else is paying for food." Mir was interrupted by the man's vehement outburst. "Aye an none others bought their ride with gold either, all o us are workin ere but ye and yon blasted elves! So do ye want food from me, ye'll pay what I ask!" Anger darkening his face, Mir nodded shortly and produced the money, then accepted the food and brought it back to the girls. Kipsie was livid, "How dare he talk to you that way! We are not 'blasted elves'! And three silver for some mangy stew! Gods the man is mad!" kipsie dug into the stew and continued, "Well just see if he gets his gods cursed bowls back, we paid dearly enough for them, I'd like to stick my dagger into his skinny ribs!" jaelara was scowling fiercely in the direction of the cook, and Mir sat silently eating as kipsie ranted. After they were done, jaelara bid Mir a subdued goodnight and bedded down. Mir strode back to the wagon housing his bedroll and took one last wary look around before settling down for the night. Kipsie awoke with a bad taste in her mouth, her limbs didn't seem to work and she felt like puke. One side of her was roasting and the other side was freezing. As she slowly opened her eyes, she froze when she realized that she was bound hand and foot with rope and her mouth was filled with foul tasting cloth and tied on with a rope. Next to her, jaelara jerked and groaned, bumping Mir's feet with her head. Mir awoke when he was jostled, then groaned as he realized what was going on. Kipsie noticed that his hands were bound securely, even his fingers held immobile, meaning that their captors knew he was a mage. Looking around, kipsie noticed all of their belongings were gone, and there was a guard near them next to the fire. In the woods were three other guards walking the perimeter of the camp. The other caravan party members were, she presumed, asleep, for she couldn't see any of them. The guard sneered at the girls, licking his lips as his eyes roved over them and Kipsie, panicking, untied herself the way her rogue father had shown her when she was a child. The guard noticed what she was doing and strode over. A hard kick stunned kipsie and made jaelara growl in anger. Mir glared and wiggled his fingers furiously trying to free them for a spell. After ascertaining that kipsie was indeed going to stay down, withdrew a pair of manacles from a bag strapped to his waist and clapped them onto the stunned girl's wrists. He then walked a little ways away and sat once again by the fire. Jaelara scooted to kipsie and studied her friend's now bruised face. Kipsie shook her head to clear it and looked around; they lay near the fire in the center of camp, with Mir just above them facing the fire. Kipsie whimpered pitifully and began to cry, an idea forming in her head. The guard that had kicked her glared in her direction as she began to turn away from jaelara with a whispered command to do the same. The little dragon complied and presented her hands to kipsies skilled fingers. Mir looked over to them curiously, his eyes widening when he say kipsie begin to untie Jaelara's bonds. Crying louder now, kipsie was silenced by the annoyed bark to shut up from the man who had kicked her. Once she was quiet, he went back to his food, firmly convinced that they were nothing more than frightened kids. Moments later, jaelara was free. Kipsie quickly and quietly retied the ropes loosely so that her friend could get away, lamenting the confiscated lock picks her father had gifted her with when she was a child learning the rogue craft from him before he died. Jaelara was mumbling around her gag and her hands moved slightly, when suddenly a fog blasted itself into existence in a thirty foot radius around the camp, the guard near the camp jumped up and drew his sword. Kipsie grinned painfully and looked around in time to see her friend throw off the ropes and scramble onto the mist, using it like solid ground. All silver dragons had this ability to cloudwalk, now it would be put to good use. Shouts that the prisoners were free and one was casting a spell filled the camp, causing the guard near them to take a swipe at the disappearing jaelara, who dodged it and vanished. Kipsie scooted over to Mir and was untying him when a scream from a guard was chocked off suddenly and his body landed with a heavy thud into the fire near Mir. Mir, now free stood and rubbed his wrists. Moments later another body tumbled down into the fire, the guard screaming and rolling off of his dead comrade in a desperate attempt to put out the fire. Mir made his way over to where he knew the first wagon to be and searched it, desperate to retrieve his spell books and their belongings. Kipsie in the meantime had untied her feet and was busily searching the dead guard, extracting his dagger and crossbow then backing away. When the second guard rose unsteadily, looking singed, and screamed, "Tis a dragon! Tis a bloody dragon killin us! Ware, ware, there be a bloody dragon killin us!" Kipsie took aim at the second guard and shot him, killing him instantly as her bolt took him through the heart. Another scream ripped out into the mist and all heard the scuffle when jaelara snatched up the third guard that had been walking perimeter. Kipsie jumped slightly then grinned when his body fell into the campfire, adding to the stench of scorched flesh and wool, then began to shoot into the mist, hoping to take another of her enemies down. Mir finished with the first wagon, hoping that the next one contained their belongings as he crept to the second wagon. Mir moved on from the second wagon to the third, by now wondering if the caravan had thrown their goods away, and frightened at the thought of losing his spell books. Both Mir and kipsie ignored the fourth scream as jaelara snatched up another man and dropped him into the fire to join his comrades in death. Kipsie was shooting into the mist when she felt her lids get heave, blinking, she fought off the darkness trying to claim her and looked around for the spell caster who was stupid enough to try to cast a sleep spell on a half elf. 


End file.
